1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to devices and methods, e.g., to transfer compressed air from a compressed air container to a tire in need of inflation. The devices of the invention can be highly portable and light weight, providing particular utility for bicycle riders.
2. Description of Related Art
Many load carrying devices, such as vehicles, carts, and wheel borrows, employ pneumatic tires to provide smooth rolling over a variety of surfaces. A major difficulty with pneumatic tires has been providing pressurized air for inflation of the tires. Many solutions to the inflation problem have been devised, such as provision of pump stations, portable hand pumps, and portable pressurized gas canisters.
Before pneumatic tires became common, wheels on vehicles were generally made from hard materials, such as wood or iron. Many of the hard materials were strong and long wearing but transmitted jarring shocks from irregular surfaces and provided poor traction. Solid rubber tires were a big improvement in traction and ride comfort. Traction and ride smoothness were further improved when materials technologies allowed manufacture of air filled tires tough enough for reliable use without frequent punctures.
When pneumatic tires became common on automobiles, service stations began to provide customers pressurized air through a hose from a pressurized canister filled by a motorized pump. As a motorist""s tires slowly lost pressure, they could be periodically topped off with pressure while stopped at a service station for fuel. If a tire suddenly went flat out on the road, a motorist could replace the flat tire with an inflated spare tire carried in the vehicle.
Bicyclists also generally prefer pneumatic tires for their smooth ride and good traction. However, as it is difficult to carry heavy and bulky items on a bicycle, spare tires are not commonly brought along on bicycle trips. Bicyclists can carry a spare inner tube, or tire patch kit, to repair punctured tires on the road. Hand pumps, generally comprising one-way valves directing air through a hand-powered piston/cylinder system, can also be carried on a bicycle to inflate a repaired tire or to refresh a slowly leaking tire. However, many bicyclists pay a premium for light weight, stream lined, bicycles and find it problematic to carry a heavy and bulky pump with them while cycling. What""s more, hand pumps mounted to bicycle frames are tempting items for thieves.
One solution to the problem of obtaining pressurized air for tire inflation on the road is to carry a canister of pressurized gas along with the bicycle or motor vehicle. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,954, Tire Inflation System, to Will, for example, a pressurized gas canister can be used to inflate a bicycle tire. However, such systems are single use, and can be expensive, bulky and heavy. In addition because they are not normally mounted to the bicycle, the user must remember to bring them along for the ride.
A need remains for simple and effective devices and methods to inflate a tire out on the road. It is desirable to have an inexpensive, light weight, easily stored device for inflation of tires and other gas filled objects. The present invention provides these and other benefits, as will be made evident in the disclosure that follows.
The tire inflation transfer tubes of the invention provide ways, e.g., to transfer compressed air from an inflated tire to a tire in need of inflation. The transfer tube can be, e.g., a flexible tube with valve stem connectors at each end to provide transfer of air pressure from a source tire to a receiving tire without leakage. The transfer tube can be used, e.g., by sealing the receiving connector to a receiving tire, pressing the source connector onto the valve stem of the source tire, and waiting a few moments until the receiving tire is adequately filled with air.
For example, the tire inflation transfer tube can be fabricated as a tube with a first end and a second end, a source connector can be formed at the first end of the tube, and a receiving connector can be formed at the second end of the tube so that the receiving connector can be connected to a receiving tire valve stem, and the source connector can be connected to a source tire valve stem, thereby inflating the receiving tire. In a particular embodiment, the tire inflation transfer tube can include: a flexible tube with two ends; a source connector formed at one end having a protruding member (valve opener) and a resilient (first) seal; and, a receiving connector formed at the other end with a protruding member (valve opener) and a resilient (second) seal.
Although the tube can be rigid for some applications, it is preferred the tube be flexible to allow manipulation of the tube to easily seal the connectors onto valve stems presented at almost any angle. The tube can be fabricated from metal, but the preferred materials include flexible substances such as rubber, plastic, silicone, polypropylene, fluorocarbon polymer, polyethylene, and/or the like. The tube can beneficially include a supporting net or braid of nylon or mylar fibers to enhance strength and resistance to blow out. The tube can be any appropriate length, but for most applications, a length ranging from about 6 inches to about 40 inches is suitable to span the distance between source and receiving valve stems.
The connectors can be formed on the ends of the tube by any means known by those skilled in the art, such as, e.g., insertion of a tubular connector extension within the tube and sealing with a clamp, melting or gluing the connectors into the tube, or forming the tube and connectors as an integral unit by injection molding. The connectors can have a threaded internal surface adapted to connect to an external threaded valve stem of a tire. The connectors can have a protruding member adapted to push open valve stems, such as Schrader valves, when the connectors are sealed on a valve stem. The connectors can have seals (first and second) made of a resilient material to prevent air leaks during transfer procedures. The connectors can have a protruding member adapted, e.g., to push open a Schrader valve when the receiving connector is sealed on a receiving tire valve stem. It is preferred that the source connector have a protruding member to force open the valve at the compressed gas source to begin transfer of gas to the receiving tire.
The tube and/or connectors can have a one-way valve mounted, e.g., in the lumen, which allows passage of gas from the source connector to the receiving connector. The one-way valve can seal to prevent air from escaping the receiving tire, e.g., when the source connector has been removed from the compressed gas source valve stem. The one-way valve can be, e.g., a ball and seat valve, a reed valve, a flapper valve, a cone and seat valve, and/or the like.
The transfer tube can be configured to fit into the seat stem of a bicycle with one connector outside of the stem to be gripped for removal and use. For example, the outside diameter of the tube and one of the two connectors can be not more than about 2 cm (or less than a particular seat stem internal diameter), while the outside diameter of the other connector is more than about 2 cm (or larger than a particular seat stem internal diameter); the larger connector not fitting into the seat stem. The transfer tube will fit securely and accessibly into a seat stem if the tube is narrow enough to enter a bicycle seat stem, and the source connector or the receiving connector is too large to enter the seat stem.
The present invention includes methods of inflating a tire. A receiving tire can be inflated from a compressed gas source by sealing a receiving connector of a transfer tube onto the valve stem of the receiving tire, and sealing a source connector having a protruding member onto the valve stem of the compressed gas source, so that compressed gas from the compressed gas source is transferred to the receiving tire. The presence of a one-way valve in the tube, the source connector, or the receiving connector can prevent escape of gas from the receiving tire while the methods of the invention are practiced. When the transfer operation is complete, the transfer tube can be stored substantially inside a bicycle seat stem.